- Hyundai Ai3 CUV will become one of the most affordable model from India’s second-most popular car maker
- The micro SUV will compete with Tata Punch, Citroen C3 and Maruti Ignis
Hyundai is considering expanding its portfolio in the country with the launch of the new Hyundai Creta facelift and the new-gen Hyundai Verna. In fact, it is even likely to soon launch a new micro SUV in the market. Codenamed Ai3 SUV, it will be positioned close to the Grand i10 Nios in the carmaker’s Indian lineup. Having said this, here are 5 top things about the upcoming Hyundai Ai3 micro SUV you should know about-
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Launch Date and Price
With many new launches already scheduled in the first half of 2023, the Korean carmaker is expected to launch the Ai3 in H2, 2023. Also, the carmaker could even bring the Casper to Auto Expo 2023 to gauge public interest. Moreover, as expected, Hyundai will decide the price of the vehicle considering the competition at the time of the launch. That said, it would be safe to assume that the Hyundai Ai3 would cost nearly the same as the Tata Punch.
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Looks
The Hyundai Ai3 will be built on the brand’s K1 platform. The SUV is likely to share some of its styling elements with the Hyundai Casper. It should feature similar headlamps, diamond-cut alloy wheels, LED headlights and taillights, and overall a funky design. More details will be known in the future. However, in terms of dimensions we expect it to be around the same size as the Tata Punch.
Equipment
As always, you can trust Hyundai to load the upcoming SUV with various segment-first features. The Ai3 is likely to get a large touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple Carplay, Bluelink, automatic climate control, a semi-digital instrument console, power windows, electrically adjustable ORVMs and more. In addition to this, it should even get a long list of safety features, including 6 airbags on the top-spec trim.
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Specifications
Various reports opine that this new micro SUV might be offered with the same powertrain options as the Grand i10 Nios. These include a 1.2-litre petrol and 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine options. The former outputs 83 PS of peak power and 114 Nm of maximum torque. Meanwhile, the turbocharged option offers a maximum power of 100 PS along with a peak torque of 172 Nm. Talking about transmission, it is likely to get a 5-speed manual and AMT gearbox options on the less powerful variant. The turbo motor will be available only with a 5-speed manual ‘box.
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Dimensions
As mentioned before, the Hyundai Ai3 will share its platform and underpinnings with the Grand i10 Nios. In terms of dimensions, it is expected to be slightly larger than the global-spec Casper. There are good chances that the new model will be bigger than the Maruti Ignis and almost as big as the Tata Punch. However, the Citroen C3 is most likely to continue being the largest offering in the segment.
